Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Danvers vs West Springfield Town
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the most affordable homes ($257k median).
Danvers has grown the fastest since 2010 (+6%).
West Springfield Town has the most kids (18.9% under 18).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Pittsfield | Danvers | West Springfield Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457Highest |
28,098Lowest |
28,772 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+6%Highest MA: +7.4% |
+1.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2 6% above MA |
45.3±3Highest 13% above MA |
40.1±2.6Lowest about the MA average |
| Danvers and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.4 MA: 19.4% |
17.2%±2Lowest MA: 19.4% |
18.9%±2.3Highest MA: 19.4% |
| West Springfield Town and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
22.6%±2.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
17.5%±1.7Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Danvers and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2% MA: 47.3% |
48.4%Highest MA: 47.3% |
34%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1Highest MA: 7.9% |
4%±1.3Lowest MA: 7.9% |
5.7%±1.3 MA: 7.9% |
| Pittsfield and West Springfield Town are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5k 32% below MA |
$125,395±$10kHighest 21% above MA |
$69,371±$7kLowest 33% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$644,200±$23kHighest 15% above MA |
$321,500±$16k 43% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61Lowest 36% below MA |
$2,076±$192Highest 18% above MA |
$1,144±$68 35% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
$6,654Highest 11% above MA |
$4,380 27% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
48.8%±8.6Lowest MA: 51.8% |
60.1%±9.1Highest MA: 51.8% |
| West Springfield Town and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
4.8%Lowest MA: 10% |
11.9% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8% MA: 62.5% |
69.2%Highest MA: 62.5% |
58.5%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1963Highest 1 yr older than MA |
1958 6 yrs older than MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
28 minHighest about the MA average |
19 min 34% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
19.3%±3.6Highest MA: 18.6% |
10.4%±2.4 MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #251 of 282 in MA | #91 of 282 in MA | #218 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pittsfield | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School District · Danvers | West Springfield |
| High school in town | Taconic High | Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School | West Springfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
12.8 |
13.1Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.